The 2016 Mecum Kissimmee auction wasn't short on classic cars and collectibles.

Every year, ten’s of thousand’s of bidders gather in central Florida for the biggest collector car auction in the world. It may not sound like the most glamorous event to some, but you’d be mistaken to think that Mecum Kissimmee isn’t classic car heaven for enthusiasts young and old.

We got a chance to see just how glamorous it all really was. Getting up close and personal with some of the most beautiful cars on the planet, and behind-the-scenes soaking in all the wonderful insanity.

Million-Dollar Muscle

When it comes to buying and selling the world’s most prestigious classic muscle cars, Mecum is the place to go. Like every year, Kissimmee 2016 was an absolute monster in sales. At $2,675,000, the 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible (yellow), was the most expensive car to cross the block. Followed soon after by another classic Hemi Cuda convertible (white) at $2,300,000, the two stole the show as the most expensive cars sold. Nine out of the top 10 most expensive cars – not including a $387,500 Mercedes SLS AMG – were classic muscle from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Just goes to show how much collectors are willing to dish out on their favorite cars from childhood.

Up Close and Personal

It’s one thing to sit in the crowd and watch the auction in progress. It’s another to stand two feet from the stage and soak in all the action up close. Thanks to some great hospitality from the Mecum crew, we were able to do just that. The care that goes into displaying each vehicle, the way they’re presented on stage – it’s almost as if every car were royalty, being strewn across a stage in front of a few thousand onlookers just lucky to be in the same area.

And then there’s the auctioneers. The fastest-talking, most enthusiastic people in the room. If they can’t convince you to buy a car, no one can. That, paired with members of the Mecum staff working bidders, convincing them that few extra thousand dollars is worth dishing out for a car this pristine. It’s a seriously amazing experience, something we suggest everyone be involved with at least once in their lifetime.

Unique Flair

It’s hard not to gawk over the amount of pure muscle that each Mecum auction tends to bring with it. But it’s the glimmers of multi-million sports cars and one-of-a-kind classics that make it that much more special. A Chevrolet Corphibian—the only one of its kind—a rare Lola race car, a Heinkel Trojan, and a pristine Toyota 2000GT were just a few of the unique and exotic vehicles on hand. Not to mention a number of million dollars Ferraris, most of which didn’t meet reserve.

The end result of this encompassment of classic vehicles is an auction worthy of being dubbed one of the world’s best. Though most of us may not be able to afford the cars listed above, it’s still an awe-inspiring experience to see them in person.